Moments of Respite
by coldIcedTEA
Summary: Scraping down time in between their countless activities is difficult for Makoto and Akira. Nevertheless, they manage quite nicely. Yet another collection of Makoto x Akira one-shots of varying degrees of off-screen fluff. Spoilers for various points in the game. [Entry 3a: Less than a day before the heist, Akira offers Makoto some comfort. Spicy 6th Palace Spoilers.]
1. Entry 1: Kiss

Spoiler Alert: Set at 6th Palace

* * *

Entry 1: Kiss

* * *

Synopsis: About to take on the Battle Arena by himself, Joker wants to strike a deal with Queen.

* * *

"Well then Joker, we'll leave you here in the safe room so you can prepare. Take your time and call us when you need help. We'll wait outside."

Everyone nodded in agreement and most filed out of the safe room to let Akira prepare for the battle arena. The last to leave was Ryuji, who tapped Akira by the shoulder and gave him a thumbs up before he slipped his mask on and joined the others outside. When the door clicked close, Akira was standing in front of the empty table, his hands on his pockets as he looked at the two people that remained in the room. Futaba laid on a nearby couch as she stared at her Metaverse-capable laptop, mumbling words as she attempted to scan the potential enemies that Akira could face in the arena, while Makoto leaned on the wall next to the exit, arms crossed and in deep thought.

He shrugged and laid his equipment on the table, organizing them according to their use. After emptying his pockets, he sat on one of the chairs and started to wordlessly fiddle with his pistol. As he silently gauged the condition of his pistol, the clicks from Futaba's keyboard filled the otherwise silent room.

"Ugh... this sucks..."

Akira had just slipped a fresh magazine into his pistol when Futaba groaned in annoyance. Akira kept working but gave her a curious glance.

"It's no use. I can't tell anything..." She sat up and leapt out of her seat. "I'll go outside and scout ahead!"

Akira nodded to acknowledge the girl. She marched out of the room, her now-closed laptop in her arms. Loud casino noises filled the room until the door shut close once more. By then, Akira had finished inspecting his pistol and set it on the table. He was reaching for his knife when Makoto called his attention.

"Joker?"

He turned to Makoto. He saw worry clear on her face. "Yeah?"

"…Be careful okay? I'm almost certain that they're going to cheat again." Makoto shifted her stance, arms still crossed. Akira nodded.

"Anyway, I should give you space to prepare."

Makoto walked towards the exit.

"...Queen."

Her hand was already reaching for the door when he called her. She turned to him. "Yes?"

Akira stood up. "Can I borrow your revolver? I'd like to avoid reloading during the fight as much as possible."

"O-Of course." She took a few steps towards him and held out her revolver, offering the it to him. "Here you go. Are you sure you want mine though? I mean, the others have more am— Ah!"

Makoto yelped as Akira grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her to an embrace. His arms wrapped around her waist and his chin rested on her head. Her face warmed up.

"Mmm… I feel a lot better now…" He nuzzled her hair. "I prefer doing this in reality though... Your mask's getting in the way."

"A-Akira-kun…" Her arms slowly found their way around his back as the tension in her body and mind loosened. She leaned her head against his chest. "…Don't surprise me like that."

"You were more uptight than normal." She could tell that he was grinning. "So I had to adjust."

"I can't help but be worried…"

"I'll make it as quick as possible."

He stroked her hair with one of his hands. She kept her face buried in his chest and tightened her embrace. They stayed like that, comforted in each other's arms.

Akira broke the silence by clearing his throat and said, "How about we strike a deal?"

Makoto looked up at the boy. He had an unusual embarassed look on his face and the hand that stroked her hair paused on her shoulder. The girl tilted her head, curious.

"I'll be back from the arena safe and sound... I'll make it quick, even. In exchange..."

The boy looked away, a hand scratching his cheek tentatively. Makoto can see a hint of pink on his cheeks.

"...K-Kiss me when we get back."

It took Makoto just a second to transition from curious about whatever was in Akira's head to completely red and flustered.

"A-A-Akira-kun...!?"

The boy felt the girl push her head against his chest intensely. He chuckled as he looked down. The girl's red ears gave away her surprise and embarassment. Seeing the girl's reaction, Akira exhaled and stroked her hair in earnest.

"I'll do better if there was a reward waiting for me you know~~"

The girl slapped his back in response.

"...Y-You're being serious aren't you?"

Akira nodded. "Yep."

The girl kept her head on his chest as she thought about it. Akira hummed softly as he waited, his hand matching the gentle rhythm of his humming. After a minute of thinking, Makoto looked up at the boy. He returned the gaze with anticipation.

"Just on the cheeks."

Akira smiled.

"More than enough."

Makoto looked at his chest and slowly nodded. "V-Very well then... I... I'll take your proposal seriously."

The boy smiled in glee. Makoto looked down at his chest again, feeling a little less embarassed.

"I didn't expect you'd agree to it that easily."

The girl looked up. "Did you want me to say no?"

He laughed. "Not at all! I just didn't expect that Miss Student Council President would easily agree with me... Am I that irresistible?"

"Hmm... Perhaps." Akira reddened, not anticipating that response. Seeing his reaction, Makoto smiled triumphantly as she continued, "And maybe it's about time I give you a reward for being such an understanding study partner and fearless leader."

"Oh, you understand my plight?"

She slapped his back again. He smiled in response. "You're so cheeky."

She pressed her head against his chest and sighed.

"You always get me worked up... I can't believe I have such a troublesome boyfriend..."

Akira chuckled.

"A troublesome boyfriend for Miss Student Council President... Not a bad match, if you ask me."

A small smile formed in Makoto's lips. A few moments after, she pulled away from him. "I have to go. The others will wonder what we're doing here if I stay any longer."

"Aww… Are you sure you don't want more?"

He gave her a self-satisfied smile, egging her on. Makoto pouted.

"You always tease me whenever you get the chance." Makoto moved away from him, intent on giving him the space to prepare again. There was disappointment in Akira's eyes but he kept the smile on his face.

"Can't help it when you're that cute."

With slightly pink cheeks, she huffed at him, urging him to resume working. Akira pouted before he straightened his coat and the hems of his sleeves. He readjusted his gloves on his hands and repeatedly opened and closed his hands to check their fit. When he was satisfied, he turned his attention to her and the revolver on her hands.

"Borrow your revolver?"

He extended an open hand towards her. She looked at his hand first before putting the revolver on his hand. "Here..."

Akira smiled at Makoto. "Thanks."

She watched him feel the weight of the gun and try aiming with it with his two hands. After trying it out, he grabbed the pistol on the table and tried aiming with the two of them.

"You know, you can use somebody else's gun if you wanted more ammo," said Makoto. Akira shook his head as he slipped the two guns into his coat.

"Queen, you don't understand..."

He gave her another self-satisfied smile.

"This is my lucky charm."

Makoto shook her head but couldn't resist smiling. The boy turned to the table and pocketed the items on there one by one. As she watched him pocket all sorts of things, she started to think back into their talk.

After pocketing a couple of Megido Bombs, Akira noticed that the girl hasn't moved from her place. He glanced at her. She had an unreadable expression on her face.

"Queen? I thought you were leaving the room already...?" asked the boy as he sorted through the few remaining items on the table.

"Well..."

Akira stopped what he was doing and looked at the Makoto. The girl walked up to him and touched his left cheek with one hand. Akira blinked as he stood still, confused.

"Q-Queen...?"

She tiptoed and Akira felt something soft and warm on his right cheek. Immediately after that, Makoto made a beeline for the door, as if to avoid the boy's reaction. She stopped right in front of the exit.

She exhaled deeply. "W-What I gave you... was a better l-lucky charm r-right?"

Akira touched his pink right cheek. The soft feeling that was there moments earlier lingered. He nodded slowly.

"Y-Yeah..."

The girl tucked a stray strand of hair to the back of her ear. "Th-There's m-more of that if you come back to me safely..."

The boy grunted, surprise pausing his usual eloquence.

"B-Be safe alright? ...I'll see you later."

She didn't wait for a response and exited the room. The boy remained on his spot in the room, still dumbfounded and scarlet.

Slowly, a stupid smile crept into his face as his hand never left its place.

-X-

As the shutters closed in front of Akira, the rest of the Phantom Thieves waved at him, wishing for his safety in the upcoming ordeal. Akira waved at them and thanked them for their wishes.

His gaze, however, was focused on only one person's face in the group.

She wordlessly waved at him, her face still hinted with pink. Her gentle expression calmed the boy.

After the lock sounded shut, he watched them leave. She gave him an encouraging smile as she left with the others.

He touched the spot that she just kissed with a gloved hand. It still felt fresh and real.

The Joker smiled as he stepped into the arena, feeling luckier than ever before.

* * *

A/N: Hey guys! I've been brimming with ideas of OTP Makoto x Akira having short offscreen interactions ever since I finished P5. In order to give that a proper outlet and have it not bother my main project, I've decided to put them together in a collection of sorts. If you liked this short, there's around 2 more of these sitting on my computer (next to all the reports that I should be doing as a responsible working adult ugh). They're going to be of similar length compared to this one although the vibe and degree of Makira love might be different. Also, expect a really weird update schedule; I like to edit and refine my drafts. This particular one was done as early as last week but I went on an editing/proofreading spree just so I can feel comfortable posting this. Beep boop.

About this short: Hoo boy. My headcanon for Makoto x Akira is very teenagey. Like both are trying to be mature about it but they clearly don't know a lot about relationship things. Uhh... yeah... that's pretty much what I have to say for this short xD Comments are highly appreciated though!


	2. Entry 2: First Night

**Spoiler Alert:** Heavy November Spoilers. Like, involves the identity reveal of the traitor. Avoid this like the plague if you ain't that far enough.

Don't say I didn't warn ya.

* * *

Entry 2: First Night

* * *

Synopsis: Trying to find solace from a nightmare, Makoto comforts their leader instead.

* * *

Akechi Goro stood in front of Kurusu Akira with a malicious grin on his face. He held a silenced pistol up and pushed barrel at the beaten teenager's forehead. The detective's mouth moved, inaudible words escaping into the silence.

He pulled the trigger.

x-X-x

The dreaded sound still rang in Makoto's ears as she woke up gasping for air. She pressed a hand against her forehead as she tried to control her breathing. Cold dampness met her hand.

"It was just a dream…"

She sat up slowly, still disoriented. She looked at the clock hanging on the other side of her room and chose between experiencing that horrible nightmare again and looking for something to distract her weary mind. Preferring lack of sleep, she decided to get out of bed and prepare for the day.

x-X-x

A mechanical announcement blared from the station speakers before a low rumbling sound came from beyond the Ginza Line gate. Makoto watched as the train slowed to a halt at the platform. The doors opened and people shuffled in and out of the train. After what seemed like a brief pause, another announcement sounded from the speakers. Soon, the rails hissed as the train left as fast as it arrived.

Makoto checked the time at her wristwatch. It was still fairly early. Students and employees of all ages continued to pass by her as she doggedly waited for a particular boy. The girl considered buying something from the vending machine but decided against it. She looked at the platform beyond the gate again as another announcement heralded the arrival of another train.

"It's rare to see you eagerly waiting in this place Makoto-senpai."

With slightly wider eyes, Makoto turned to her left. Akira was standing in front of her, his two hands in their usual places. The boy smiled and greeted, "Good morning."

Relief replaced surprise as an urge to hug the boy swelled within Makoto. She smiled.

"Good morning Akira-kun."

The boy momentarily looked around before returning his gaze at her.

"Waiting for someone?"

The girl nodded slowly. Her face was slightly pink.

"I... I was waiting for you actually."

"Oh. That's new."

Makoto narrowed her eyes and pouted. Akira showed her a warm smile as he put a hand at the back of his neck.

"I'm kidding! It's real charming that you'd wait for me this early in the morning... What's up?"

"Well..."

Makoto paused. The boy tilted his head. The rails hissed again as another train departed the station. The girl shook her head and smiled weakly.

"It can wait later. We'll be late if we stay any longer..."

Akira nodded and followed after her. The two passed through the gate and walked up to the station platform. Once they were there, the boy turned to Makoto again.

"So...?"

Makoto looked down and crossed her arms.

"I just..."

The girl trailed off. Akira raised an eyebrow. She exhaled and met his gaze.

"...I just wanted to see you."

The boy's features softened.

"Oh."

The two stood wordlessly for a moment. Chatter and footsteps filled the silence between them as a crowd gathered at the platform.

Akira cleared his throat.

"I'm pleasantly surprised," remarked the boy as he smiled. Makoto put her hands on her cheeks, trying to hide her embarrassment.

 _"The next train is arriving shortly. Please stay behind the yellow line."_

The mechanical voice sounded again from the speakers. Akira took a peek at the tracks and saw the train approaching. He looked back at Makoto.

"I'm sorry," began Makoto. "I guess I'm acting strange aren't I?"

Akira shook his head. The train rumbled loudly as he opened his mouth.

"Don't worry about it. You're perfect as you are."

Makoto blushed profusely. Akira grinned.

Artificial chimes rang from the train speakers as the doors slid open. The two entered the train and managed to get themselves a corner next to the door. Makoto leaned against the side of the seats while Akira stood in front of her, his two arms holding his bag close to his chest.

The train doors slid shut and the train started to move. Makoto kept her gaze at Akira's face as the boy stared at the screen above. He noticed and turned to her. He smiled.

There was a tug at Makoto's sleeve. She looked down and found only one arm holding Akira's bag. His other hand was holding onto the hem of her sleeve.

She reached for the hand on her sleeve and held it.

Their fingers intertwine.

Makoto looks up at Akira. He meets her gaze.

They share a smile.

x-X-x

 _"Aoyama-Itchome. Aoyama-Itchome. Please watch your step as you exit the train."_

The pair left the train with a group of Shujin students. They passed through the gate and rode the escalator to exit the station. They made their way to school.

"So... when are you going to tell me about what's bothering you?"

Makoto turned to Akira as they walked. The boy glanced at her.

The girl frowned as she turned her eyes to the path.

"Was I that obvious?"

"Not really. But I can tell something's bothering you."

Makoto sighed. The boy shrugged.

"Well…"

She paused and looked around. There were a lot of students walking the same direction.

"Now's not really a good time Akira-kun."

The boy nodded.

"Are you free during lunchtime?"

She shook her head. Akira scratched the back of his head.

"How about after school?"

"We're handling the paperwork for school festival expenses. Sorry."

The boy frowned. "Huh. This is difficult."

"It's okay… I'm already okay with—"

"How about tonight? There's no school tomorrow... Although I already promised Sojiro to help out at Leblanc later so we can only meet there..."

Makoto turned to Akira. The boy shrugged. She looked back at the path. They were near the school gate now.

"I'll think about it."

Akira nodded.

"Tell me when you decide."

x-X-x

Akira stretched out his arms and legs and let out a small yawn. Third period just ended and the teacher had left the classroom. In front of him, Ann replaced her notebook with another one in preparation for the next class.

"Oi. Your phone just vibrated," meowed Morgana.

"Hmm?" Akira stretched his neck, trying to drive away the drowsiness from last class. Feeling more alert now, he grabbed the phone under his desk and pulled it out.

It was from Makoto.

 _[Hey, Akira… About our discussion earlier...]_

 _[I've been thinking about it since we parted and I...]_

 _[I want to see you tonight.]_

"That's rather forward of her," commented Morgana. Akira gave him a meaningful glance.

 _[Alright. I'll wait for you tonight.]_

 _[Tell me what's bothering you, okay?]_

Three dots popped alongside Makoto's picture.

 _[I will...]_

 _[I'll send you a message when I'm on my way.]_

 _[...Thank you Akira.]_

The sliding door next to the blackboard rattled open and Kawakami walked in with a book on hand. The boy replaced the phone under his desk and saw Morgana looking at him.

"What?"

The cat closed his eyes and placed his head on his front paws.

"Don't look for me later."

Akira nodded.

x-X-x

The boy hummed as he mixed the contents of the curry pot, satisfied with how the curry smelled. He raised the ladle, put some of the curry on a saucer, and tasted it. He nodded and continued mixing the curry.

"Leaving already?"

Sojiro spoke as the last pair of customers stood up from their booth and stopped by in front of the cash register. He heard Sojiro operate the register and give them their change. "Well then, come again soon."

The customers said something but the sound of door chimes kept Akira from hearing them. The chimes rang again and the door clicked close. He heard Sojiro greet a new customer.

"Oh? It's rare to see you here by yourself at this time of the night."

Akira peeked out of kitchen and found Makoto by the entrance of the café. She exchanged greetings with Sojiro. The man turned and gestured at the boy. He nodded and turned off the stove before exiting the kitchen.

Makoto waved at him as he approached her. Akira waved back. Sojiro watched the two teenagers before he shook his head in amusement. He gave the younger boy a knowing look.

"I thought a boy's dropping by when you said a friend's coming over." Sojiro put a hand behind his head and chuckled. Makoto looked down, trying to hide her flushed cheeks. Akira shrugged.

Sojiro looked at his wristwatch and said, "Well… it won't hurt the café if we close an hour earlier tonight. Not like anyone's going to drop by in this part of town this late..."

"Help me clean up. You're free to use the café afterwards."

The boy nodded.

"Thanks Boss."

x-X-x

After Sojiro finished arranging the dishes and checking the cash register, he bade the two good night. Makoto stood from her booth seat and bowed her head as Sojiro exited the café. Meanwhile, Akira arranged the wet dishes in the dryer.

Makoto approached the counter in front of the kitchen and sat on one of the stools. She found Akira drying his hands with a nearby towel.

"Sakura-san is really considerate, isn't he?" remarked Makoto as she put her arms on top of the counter. Akira nodded.

"He is. I'm lucky he's my guardian," replied Akira as he took his glasses from his face and wiped them with the apron he wore. He was about to put them back on when Makoto spoke.

"Can you not wear your glasses tonight? I want to see your face."

The boy placed his glasses on the pocket of his apron. "Well? How do I look?"

"You look better without your glasses."

The boy shrugged. Makoto smiled warmly.

"So… You hungry? It's a bit late but I have some curry prepared."

"I could have some of it. I won't eat a lot though."

Akira nodded. "That's alright. We'll use whatever's left tomorrow."

The boy headed to the stove to prepare the food. Makoto watched him. "Need my help?"

"Not really. You can sit on the booth; it's far more comfortable there."

"Comfort can wait. I want to see you work."

Akira smiled at that. He grabbed a plate and put steaming rice on it. After that, he placed the curry above the rice and set it on the counter next to the stove. He prepared another plate before replacing the curry pot's lid.

He carried the two plates and exited the kitchen. By then, Makoto had already moved to the closest booth. Akira placed the food on the table and sat on the opposite side.

"It smells nice," Makoto said as she raised her spoon. Akira smiled proudly.

"Of course it would. I put a lot of love into it."

Akira watched Makoto put a spoonful of curry into her mouth. The girl bobbed her head after doing so, approval clear on her face. Akira nodded contentedly and started on his own food as well.

"It's really good Akira."

"Glad you like it."

As it was getting late, Akira didn't put a lot on their plates. The boy set his spoon on top of his empty plate and leaned against his seat, content with his meal. He looked at Makoto. She was close to finishing hers as well.

"Want some coffee? It really goes well with the curry."

Makoto shook her head. "No, I don't need caffeine right now… I'll have water instead."

The boy nodded and made his way to the kitchen. He brought out a pitcher of water from the fridge. As Akira picked up two glasses from the cupboard, Makoto looked around, searching for the café's second resident.

"Where's Morgana?"

Akira shrugged as he walked to their table. "Suddenly took off when he woke up. Seems like he had a nightmare of sorts…"

The girl briefly frowned at the mention of nightmare. The boy didn't notice.

He set the glasses down and filled them with water. He placed the pitcher at the end of the table and sat down on his seat.

The boy gave Makoto a sly look.

"It's just the two of us in here right now."

Makoto's cheeks flared pink and she directed her gaze at her empty plate, trying to avoid Akira's eyes. The boy smirked, "I didn't expect you'd agree to meet me this late at night. Are you sure you don't have other motives?"

"A-Akira…! I could say the same for you!"

"Hmm... I might have other plans~~"

Makoto's face was completely red as she stammered for a respond. Akira chuckled at her reaction.

"You're cute as ever Makoto."

"Akira you dummy..."

The boy picked up their plates. He brought them to the sink and walked to the coffee siphon. Makoto took a deep breath as she calmed herself down. She reached for a glass of water and drank from it.

The girl exhaled as the redness on her cheeks finally subsided. Akira glanced at her.

"So… I've been asking since this morning: what's up?" asked Akira as he prepared himself a cup of coffee.

"Well…"

Makoto paused. Akira took another peek at her. Her hands were restlessly touching her glass of water.

"Let me guess..." Akira raised his cup of coffee from the machine and skirted around the counter. "This is about the upcoming heist, isn't it?"

The girl wordlessly nodded. The boy returned to his seat and put his elbows on the table.

"It's a huge gamble. Everyone's nerves are acting up," commented Akira. "Want to talk about it?"

Makoto crossed her arms and kept her eyes on her glass of water.

"Aren't you worried? You're the one who's going to be exposed to most danger. I… I'm scared of what might happen to you…"

Akira put a hand behind his neck and sighed. "That's just how it goes… We do need to get the heat off our backs and there's no other way that could happen."

Makoto sighed and looked up at him. "You're so calm Akira… I-I can never do that."

The boy laughed wryly. Makoto blinked, wondering why. Akira extended a hand towards her.

"Here. Hold my hand."

She reached out with a reluctant hand and held his outstretched one.

His hand trembled.

She looked at him with slight surprise. "Akira…?"

"I'm just as scared as the rest of you," admitted the boy as he looked away with a wry smile. Makoto found in his eyes feelings that she never saw in them before.

Doubt.

Uncertainty.

Fear.

Emotions that the leader of the Phantom Thieves never showed. It was then that Makoto understood.

"Akira..."

She held his hand securely. The boy turned to her.

"I'm right here for you."

Akira smiled at her weakly. Without letting go of his hand, she moved away from her spot and stood next to the seat he was sitting on. She tugged his held hand, prompting him to get to the edge of his seat. He obliged her and scooted towards her. "Makoto…?"

With her free hand, she made his head lean against her stomach. Akira grunted with surprise but didn't push her away. Her other hand stroked his frizzy, black hair.

Akira let go of their held hands and wrapped his arms around her waist. He buried his face against her stomach and sighed. The girl couldn't help but smile as she gently stroked his hair.

They stayed like that, enjoying their moment.

After staying silent for a while, Akira looked up. Makoto met his gaze with a smile.

"Thank you Makoto."

She pushed a few strands of hair away from his face and cupped his cheeks.

"You're welcome Akira."

The boy made the girl step back and he stood up. He pulled her by the waist and tightly hugged her. The girl responded in suit, wrapping her arms around his waist. She placed her head against his chest and exhaled softly.

"Say…"

Makoto looked up at Akira. His cheeks were slightly pink.

"Do you need to go home tonight?"

Makoto looked down and buried her face in his chest, her own cheeks growing warm. Slowly, she shook her head.

"I received a text from Sis earlier… She… She said she's not coming home tonight…" said Makoto as she kept her face on his chest. Akira stroked her hair gently. He opened his mouth but paused, hesitation stopping his words.

The boy exhaled and said:

"Stay with me tonight. I want you by my side."

The girl breathed in sharply. Her arms tightened their embrace.

"T-That's unfair… You know it's hard for me to reject you when you say it like that…"

Akira chuckled.

"I know."

She whined. In the moments that followed, she listened for his heartbeat through his chest. His heart was beating fast.

Makoto looked up and met his gaze. Her face was profusely red.

"I… I'll stay with you forever Akira."

The blushing boy gave Makoto a grateful smile. He held her face with a hand. The girl looked down at his chest, still embarassed.

"Thank you Makoto."

She shook her head and showed a relieved smile.

"Mmm... Thank you, Akira."

Makoto looked up and met Akira's eyes. They savor the moment.

Their first night is still young.

* * *

A/N: I lied. I'm sorry. This is easily my longest piece. Take me to liar's jail~~

Anyway, for this collection, I've decided to focus on making shorts during and after the events of the 6th Palace. For some reason, I can't get myself to make decent shorts out of my pre-6th Palace ideas (or they become a part of my other shorts so~). For the meantime, there's a few more in stock, although expect a longer wait this time around since I haven't even completed the drafts of those... Also, thank you for the reviews! I'm glad to hear that people enjoyed the first entry :D

Thanks to those who pointed out the character tags. I thought I added them when I first posted but turns out I didn't :O

About this short: Hoo boy this entry wasn't supposed to make it. This was an entry that was supposed to be part of another shorts collection that I scrapped in favor of Moments of Respite. However, after reading through the draft, I thought I can make it work and made edits. And then hours before my planned release a few days ago, I realized that I commited a blunder at the first part of the piece. Long story short, this piece has a lot of history in it. Hope you liked it~~ :D

Once again, comments are appreciated~~ :D


	3. Entry 3a: The Day Before

**Spoiler Alert:** Spicy November Spoilers~~

* * *

Entry 3a: The Day Before

* * *

Synopsis: In the midst of all the anxiety and stress in the hours that led to November 19's 6PM, they comfort each other.

* * *

After a few months of working with the Phantom Thieves, Makoto thought that she would no longer have problems with managing all of her work. Juggling her role as the Phantom Thieves's tactician with her studies and responsibilities as student council president was tough yet she managed quite nicely so far.

At least, that's what she thought.

The girl let out a weary sigh as she pressed her elbows against the booth table and supported her head with her hands. Makoto stared blankly at the empty table as she mulled quietly.

The past few weeks had taken its toll on her.

Managing different responsibilities at the same time was one thing.

Doing that with her emotions all over the place was another.

Simply put, Makoto was tired.

And stressed.

And worried.

Later tonight, as decided earlier, she will hand the calling card to Niijima Sae to materialize the Treasure in her Palace.

After that, at tomorrow evening, they will infiltrate her sister's Palace with Akechi Goro, high school ace detective and agent of whatever's conspiring against the Phantom Thieves.

Later on that same evening, Kurusu Akira will be caught by the police. He will most likely be drugged and beaten by officers working for the enemy before Makoto's sister gets anywhere close to him. If things go badly, their leader will die by Akechi's hand.

Makoto understood the plan. It was really simple: enter her sister's Palace with a likely enemy, let them arrest her beau on false charges, and hope that he is coherent enough to convince her sister to ally with them.

Really simple and absolutely nerve-racking.

The girl let out another sigh as she massaged her temples. Doing so didn't help but there was nothing she could do at this point. She grumbled in frustration.

"You don't look so good Makoto."

With slight surprise, she looked up from her seat. Akira was standing next to her, a steaming cup of coffee on hand. The bespectacled boy smiled before placing the cup in front of her and slid to the space next to her. The girl forced a smile as she took the steaming cup of coffee with her two hands. The warmth was a welcome relief.

"It shows, doesn't it?" asked her. He gave a slight nod.

Makoto turned her eyes to the steaming cup. Warm vapor danced away from the dark liquid's surface.

"...Everything's overwhelming me right now," confessed the girl, "I… I didn't expect I'd be this affected after all the days of preparation that we had."

An arm slid behind her back and Akira's hand secured her waist. He pulled her close.

"Makoto…"

She rested her head on his shoulder and let out an exhausted sigh.

"Having you close to me always calms me down."

"I made the right call to stop you from leaving with the Ryuji and the others huh?"

She showed him a small grateful smile, "You did. Thank you Akira."

"Better thank Morgana for giving us this moment as well."

Makoto nodded. "I'll thank him the next time I see him then."

The boy brushed away a stray strand of hair from her face. She whined at their skins' contact but welcomed the feeling nonetheless.

"I'm always here for you alright?"

The girl nodded slowly. Akira turned his body to her and pulled her to a hug. She wrapped her arms around his back and placed her head on his chest. Makoto exhaled.

"Comfortable?"

She nodded.

"Comfortable."

The boy gently stroked her hair. In the silence that followed, he listened to her soft breathing.

Suddenly, her arms tightened their wrap around his back. Akira grunted at the motion.

"...Let me stay like this for a while," said the girl.

He chuckled as he continued stroking her hair.

"Stay as long as you want, Makoto."

A small smile curved her lips.

"Thank you Akira."

* * *

After their brief moment of calm, the couple knew that it was time for her to leave. The boy offered to walk her back to the station after finishing her coffee. Wishing to be by his side a little longer, Makoto graciously accepted.

A soft click followed the ringing door chimes as Akira closed the café. After a few clicks, an attempt to turn the doorknob, and a glimpse at the store sign that read "Closed," Akira turned to Makoto and pushed his glasses to the bridge of his nose. "All good?" asked him.

"…Yeah," was her only reply.

Akira offered his hand to Makoto. After a moment's hesitation, she reached for it with one of hers. Their fingers intertwined.

With held hands, the couple walked towards the station. At Akira's behest, they took the longer route, opting for the narrower alleys of the backstreets neighborhood. "It's quieter there," explained the younger boy. They walked at a leisurely pace as Akira made sure that they take their time as much as possible. Makoto didn't mind. She wanted to enjoy the peacefulness a little longer.

After a minute of walking in silence, Akira spoke up.

"Hey… I know tomorrow's an important day for all of us, but I was thinking…"

Makoto peeked at him. The boy was looking straight through the alley they were walking.

"What is it Akira?"

He lightly squeezed her hand before answering.

"I want to spend a little more time with you tomorrow. Can we meet before heading to Leblanc?"

The girl stopped in the middle of the alleyway. Without letting go of her hand, Akira turned to her. In that moment, in that alley, the two of them were alone.

"…No?" asked Akira anxiously.

Makoto shook her head and smiled.

"It's alright. I want to be with you as well."

He smiled broadly.

"Is the rooftop alright with you?"

A man entered the alley from the direction of their destination. The pair took that as cue to continue their walk.

"It should be alright. I can make an exception tomorrow."

"Maybe you can make an exception whenever it's with me…?"

She frowned at him. He laughed and rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand. Seeing his cheerful face, the girl next to him chuckled softly.

The sound of speeding vehicles greeted the two as they got out of the alley. Few pedestrians were walking about and the sidewalk was clear and spacious. They turned to the station entrance. The descending sun, backdropped by the orange and blue hues of the clear dusk sky, peered at them through the steel and concrete frames of the city.

"We're here," said Makoto.

They walked closer to the station entrance and stopped just right in front of it. The stoplight lit red. Makoto let go of Akira's hand and turned to him. The vivid colors of the dusk sky glinted off his glasses.

"…That's it for today then," said Makoto reluctantly. The boy nodded slowly, as if to mirror her sentiment.

"I suppose… Send me a message when you get home alright?"

"I will… Thank you, Akira."

"Stay safe."

"You too," said her as she waved a hand, "I'll see you tomorrow."

She moved to turn around.

"Makoto."

She stopped at his voice and looked back at him. Akira smiled gently.

"I love you."

A light blush formed on her surprised face. She pouted at the boy. He shrugged.

"I wanted you to know."

The girl closed her eyes and smiled.

With the dying sun and burning sky on her back, Makoto looked at him with tender eyes.

She responded in kind.

* * *

A/N: I certainly took my time didn't I? I got back to playing P5 a few weeks back (NG++ baby) and suddenly doubted my characterization of Mako-chan. Took some time off, caught up with work, played more P5, and here I am, back in business~ Can't ignore the call to write more Makoto x Akira fics. Ugh, the things that I do for this beautiful couple~

Another piece of good news is that I should be able to release the next one in two weeks~ Also, if you noticed the entry number, this short is half of a 2-part entry! If you're getting tired of my November stories, well... the one I'm planning to work on after the next one isn't set on November XD

As always, thank you for the reviews! I appreciate all the helpful feedback that I receive :3

About this short: Prior to releasing _First Night_ , I thought that my third entry would be my last November story. Welp, I was wrong. After reaching the same day in-game, I realized that my planned short then wasn't going to work without something to ease it in (at least according to my headcanon). That 'something to ease it in' is this short~ Hope you like it! Comments are once again greatly appreciated! :D


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